It can be hard to maintain hope in the middle of chaos. But our hope isn’t anchored to circumstances, theological opinions, or a book. Our hope is anchored to an event—an event that rekindled the dwindling hope of the first followers of Christ.
Preached at North Point Church.
To be a conqueror is to rejoice when the battle is over. To be more than a conqueror is to rejoice before the battles start. And that’s Gideon. He goes, boys, the Lord has given the enemy into our hands. Let’s march down. That’s how you stand when you face overwhelming odds. That’s how you stand up to devastating news.
http://connectwithskip.com.
Gideon doubted God’s charge to deliver Israel, but we learn how God made him into a judge, a warrior, and a man of faith.
Preached at Chase Oak Church. Plano, Texas
The story of Joseph is one of the Bible’s most compelling tales. And the most gripping feature is the difference between Joseph’s outlook and that of his eleven brothers. After all the intrigue, the ups and downs of Joseph’s life and career, and the years of deception and selfishness by Joseph’s brothers, the finale comes after their father, Jacob, dies. This is one of the Bible’s best but God moments, as forgiveness eclipses failure. Let’s consider Joseph’s brothers as they approach him one last time.
www.skipheitzig.com. Used by permission.
When you what God gives you to do, He surrounds you with all of the people that you need to do what you can’t do. You have everything you need to fight the battle for the season you’re in. You can win with what you’ve got. Jonathan, Saul’s son, fought the Philistine army with far less resources. But he had the intention, the initiative and the willingness to innovate.
Preached at Elevation Church. From sermons.love.
Without the Holy Spirit, we’re ordinary in every way. With the Holy Spirit, all things all possible. His anointing is the X Factor—it helps us do what we do better than we can do it!
www.national.cc Used by permission.
The religious elite ignored Him as long as they could. Since Jesus sported no theological degrees and wasn’t part of the pastors guild, they didn’t take Him seriously. He was not credible in their eyes. But they could only follow this course for so long. His influence grew so large that they couldn’t ignore Him any longer. So they must extend to Him the credibility of engagement.
They came out with all guns blazing, seeking to refute Him. First, their pushback was targeted at the content of His teaching. But after realizing that they couldn’t successfully discount what He said, they downshifted to an ad hominem assault. Personal attacks became their new weapon for dismissal: “He has no authority to say what He’s saying.” “He’s not seminary trained.” “He has no ordination papers.” “He’s not a scholar.”
Then it escalated: “He was born as the result of fornication.” “He’s a blasphemer.” “He’s deceptive.” “He’s a glutton and a drunkard.” “He’s a false prophet.” And the ultimate attack: “Satan is working through Him!”
Strikingly, this same story has been played out on virtually every bloodstained page of church history. And unfortunately the destiny of many who have followed in Jesus’ steps has been the same as His: persecution, suffering, and even execution.
“Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”
Human nature changes not. Nor do the systems men create, be they secular or religious. The reactions are all the same. When men feel threatened, the evil they are capable of in the name of God (and while defending Him) defies sanity. Jesus was put to death chiefly because of jealousy.
For he [Pilate] knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
The favor and anointing of God will always garner the jealousy of those who do not possess them. Abel, upon whom God looked with favor, is not alone in those who were persecuted by a jealous Cain.
Jealousy still lives and breathes in the hearts of the religiously ambitious and insecure.
Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.
The ways of God changes not either.
Fear not. Follow Him. No matter what the cost!
This post is an excerpt from chapter 6 of Jesus: A Theography (Thomas Nelson, October 2012).
The ancient conflict between the spirits of Elijah and Jezebel is an incredibly powerful glimpse into spiritual warfare. In this age-old battle, Elijah represents the voice of Heaven: the call to repentance and the return to God. Jezebel, on the other hand, embodies that unique principality of Satan whose purpose is to hinder and defeat the work of repentance. The goal is to silence the work and Word of God. We can learn much about the war between Jesus and the Antichrist as we study the nature of Elijah, God’s prophet and Jezebel, God’s enemy.
To understand the conflict between Elijah and Jezebel, we must understand these two adversaries as they are seen in the Scriptures. Each is the spiritual counterpart of the other. Is Elijah bold? Jezebel is brazen. Is Elijah ruthless toward evil? Jezebel is vicious toward righteousness. Does Elijah speak of the ways and words of God? Jezebel is full of systems of witchcraft and words of deceit.
Elijah was the spiritual leader of Israel’s school of prophets. Under him were the sons of the prophets—literally hundreds of seers and prophetic minstrels, each of whom proclaimed the Word of the Lord. In this war, however, Jezebel had viciously and systematically murdered God’s servants until only Elijah remained (I Kings 18:22). Elijah, as the last of the prophets, then challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the Asherah to a demonstration of power: their gods against the power of the Lord. These 850 men were the false prophets, satanic priests of Baal worship, who ate “at Jezebel’s table” (I Kings 18:19). They were the most powerful, demonized individuals that the hosts of darkness could produce.
King Ahab, Jezebel’s husband, sent a message out to all Israel, and the nation came to witness the conflict between the God of Elijah and the demons of Baal led by Jezebel. The terms of the challenge were simple: each was to place an ox upon an altar. Elijah then said, “…you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God’ (I Kings 18:24). Six hours later the cult priests still could produce no fire; twelve hours passed and Elijah began to mock them, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside…perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened” (vs 27). Then, just before evening, Elijah prayed over his sacrifice and, ‘The fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering… And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God’ (I Kings 18:38-39).
Immediately after this powerful witness of the Lord, Elijah instructed the Israelites to gather the prophets of Baal and all of them were put to death. We would suppose that, at this point, Elijah would have gone into Jezreel and, with the same confidence and power that just accompanied him, destroyed Jezebel, but he did not. In fact—and this may surprise you—Elijah came under spiritual warfare. Jezebel, in a fit of rage, released a flood of satanic oppression and curses against Elijah that overwhelmed him, swamping his soul with fear and discouragement, causing him to flee. How could such a mighty prophet turn and run?
The answer is not simple. In fact, the situation worsened. We next see Elijah sitting beneath a juniper tree, bewailing that he is no better than his fathers–actually praying that he might die! (I Kings 19:4) What pressure overwhelmed this great man of God that he would fall prey to such fear and discouragement? Satan’s work through Jezebel. Now listen, my beloved comrades, and understand. When you take a stand against forces of darkness like those who controlled Queen Jezebel, even though you resist such attacks, you must be aware that fear and discouragement as well as other devices of Satan will be sent against you to smother your prayer and silence your voice.
The Drama Continues… The war between Elijah and Jezebel reanimates at peak seasons in the history of man. Remember what the Scriptures speak concerning John the Baptist: he was to be a, “forerunner before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Lk 1:17). Jesus said of John the Baptist, “…he himself is Elijah, who was to come” (Matt 11:14, 17:11-13). John even looked like Elijah. Like Elijah, John proclaimed the need for repentance wherever he saw sin. One such area was in the adulterous lives of King Herod and his wife, Herodias. When John confronted them, Herodias had him imprisoned (Mk 6:17-19). But who was this manipulating and controlling in the dark, spiritual side of Herodias? As Elijah’s spirit ministered through John, so Jezebel-like influences had surfaced into this world through Herodias! What Jezebel did to Elijah in the wilderness, Herodias now released against John: fear and discouragement blanketed the thought life of this mighty servant of God. John the Baptist, who had visibly seen the Spirit descend as a dove upon Christ, who heard the Father’s audible voice and beheld the living Son of God, was now asking if what he saw was real (Matt 11:3). The only man alive who had living contact with the Trinity, now doubted the vision. “And a strategic day came when Herod…gave a banquet” (Mk 6:21). “Strategic” is the perfect word to describe the timing of this event. For in this war between the spirits of Elijah and Jezebel, Herodias had her daughter dance before Herod, enticing from the king a promise to give whatever she asked. At her mother’s request—more truly, at a type of “Jezebel’s” request—she demanded the head of the Baptist be brought to her. Why decapitation? Through John’s mouth came the Word of God. The audible proclamation of the Word of God is the greatest threat to Satan. To cut off John’s head was to silence his mouth and cut off his authority. Thus, temporarily, the confrontation between God and Satan (Elijah’s godly influence and Jezebel’s evil influence subsided.
Be encouraged. The Bible says that Elijah Is Coming! Two thousand years ago, Jesus stated that the ministry of Elijah was not over. He promised, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things…” (Matt 17:11). Malachi the prophet also wrote, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Mal 4:5). The spirit or influence of Elijah, according to scripture, will return to the affairs of mankind before the great and terrible day of the Lord! His purpose will be to restore all things. Even as the Lord used the spirit of Elijah, through the Holy Spirit, to empower Elisha and then John the Baptist, so the Lord is raising up an “Elijah” company of Spirit-filled men and women sent to prepare the way for the return of Christ!
Let it also be known that, if Elijah is coming before Jesus returns, so also is Satan in the form of Antichrist (just like Jezebel opposed Elijah). Indeed, do you not see her in our land in the practice of witchcraft and false religions? Do you not hear her brazen voice rejecting God’s authority? Have you not beheld her causing even God’s spiritual leaders to “commit acts of immorality”? (Rev 2:20) Seeing “Jezebel” (the work of Satan) so blatantly attacking Christians only confirms that the spirit of Elijah, the Holy Spirit, is also here to bring repentance and help prepare God’s people for the return of the Lord.
In the Old Testament we see how God destroyed Jezebel. Jehu, the newly crowned king of Israel, was sent by the word of the Lord through Elijah’s successor, Elisha, to fulfill God’s judgment. As Jehu and his men furiously drove their chariots toward Jezreel, the kings of Israel and Judah came out to meet him, ” ‘Is it peace, Jehu?’ And he answered, ‘What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’ (II Kings 9:21-22) Jehu murdered the two kings-servants of Jezebel. Immediately afterward, he rode into Jezreel to confront Jezebel. The Word tells us that when she saw him, she painted her eyes and adorned her head, and looking out an upper window, she called to him, ‘Is it well, Zimri (Jehu), your master’s murderer?’ Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, ‘Who is on my side? Who?’ And two or three eunuchs looked down at him. And he said, ‘Throw her down.’ So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot”” (II Kings 9:30-33 NAS/KJ).
There was something in Jehu’s courageous spirit that we must possess today in our war against Jezebel. While we must be compassionate toward those captured by Jezebel, Jehu had no mercy, no hope for reform, no compromise or sympathy whatsoever toward this Satan-controlled woman! Jehu ‘…trampled her under foot.’ While she lay bleeding and near death, he trampled her beneath the feet of his horse! While we are not called to so physical a demonstration of our resolve, spiritually, like Jehu’s heart, we must have no tolerance whatsoever to compromise our faith and our purity! There can be no peace, no relaxing under our “fig tree,” until the influence of Jezebel is slain! We must refuse to settle for a false peace based on compromise and fear, especially when the Spirit of God is calling for “War”!
Side with God, and remember that to have victory over satanic oppression requires that you stand strong in the “armor of God” (Ephesian 6) and you pray for spiritual protection! When God wants to use you the most, as He did with Elijah, Satan is not far behind to discourage and depress you. Let God give you the victory!
Taken from The Three Battlegrounds by Francis Frangipane, frangipane.org
STOP: Trying to make it happen and get it done. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Ps. 37:7.
STOP: Focusing on yourself, your issues, your needs, your problems, your sin and “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”. Heb. 12:2
STOP: Trying to do right and not do wrong and not sin and “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”. Rom. 6:11
STOP: Being anxious about your circumstance and your situation and “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. 1 Pet. 5:7
STOP: Trying to be good, act like a good Christian and do good works for “Those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his”. Heb. 4:10
STOP: Trying to improve yourself and be a better person and know that “In Him you have been made complete”. Col. 2:10
STOP: Trying to get ahead, do more and advance yourself and “Do not concern yourself with great matters or things too wonderful”. Ps. 131:1
STOP: Worrying, agitating and being troubled about anything or anyone and “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. Phil. 4:6
STOP: Criticizing and judging others and trying to change them and “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment”. Rom. 14:1
STOP: Trying to overcome your sin or addiction and know that “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God”. Rom. 13:14
STOP: Fantasizing about what you would like to have that you don’t and let “Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires”. Rom. 13:14
STOP: Striving, straining and struggling to live the Christian life and know “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Gal.2:20
Whatever you are doing to try to live the Christian life and trust “Christ, who is your life”. Col. 3:4
Currently one in every sixty-eight children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with autism. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined. In the 1970’s and 1980’s only 1 out of every 2,000 children received an autism diagnosis. Autism was not nearly as prevalent, and little practical information was available for parents and educators.
My development began normally and continued until I was eighteen months old. At that time, I began to regress rapidly. I lost my ability to communicate with words, and I ceased to engage in eye contact, a skill I had previously learned. (About 20% of children with autism experience a similar period of regression.)
When I entered kindergarten, the Rochester School specialists labeled me emotionally impaired. My mom refused this label, informing the professionals, “My son’s disability is not emotional but neurological.”
She diligently researched the top professionals for learning disabilities and paid to have me tested. Neuropsychologist Dr. Jerel E. Deldotto from Henry Ford Hospital confirmed that my disability was indeed neurological.
Educational specialists and doctors informed my parents that I would probably never read beyond a seventh grade level, attend college, or participate in athletics. Even so, my mom was determined to help me to excel in life. She empowered me to develop my unique gifts for independence, employment, and relationships.
As Dr. Temple Grandin said, “In special education, there’s too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength.”
The Prairie Pup Years
When I was seven years old, my mom gave me a stuffed animal of a prairie dog for Christmas. This toy sparked a special interest in prairie dogs; I could tell you every detail about prairie dog life.
In the 80’s most boys played with GI Joe, He-Man, Star Wars toys, Atari video games, or even a Teddy Ruxpin. But I carried around a stuffed prairie dog named Prairie Pup.
As my Special Ed teacher Ms. Milne once told my parents, “Ron always carries an animal book in his right hand and Prairie Pup in his left.”
My mom harnessed my special interest in prairie dogs and animals to teach me reading and writing skills. As a professional artist she taught me with art, drawing pictures of prairie dogs to illustrate concepts.
In fifth grade, I won the Detroit Edison Drawing contest for Oakland County by creating a poster of Prairie Pup and his furry friends. For the prize Prairie and I met captain of the Detroit Pistons basketball team and future Hall of Fame inductee Isaiah Thomas.
In sixth grade, I was deemed too old to carry a love-worn stuffed animal, so Prairie Pup was officially ‘expelled’ from the Rochester public school system.
In my presentations, I joke that it’s a good thing my special interest at the time was a stuffed prairie dog and not a honey-badger. It would have been hard for the school administration to expel an agitated, aggressive, wild beast!
My mother Janet Sandison recalls:
One of my son’s favorite activities was dictating short fictional stories about his stuffed animals and drawing illustrations. I wrote Ron’s short stories in spiral notebooks. Ron drew the main characters: Chatter the Squirrel, Little Gnawing Beaver, Bouncing Bear, and Prairie Pup. I was able to teach Ron new vocabulary through writing and also helped his imagination to blossom. By watching me write, Ron was able to learn reading comprehension and memorized the spelling of words.
During elementary and middle school, I had difficulty developing friendships with peers due to my social awkwardness and sensory issues. If my daily routines were altered, I experienced painful meltdowns. I call my meltdowns, “My honey-badger moments.”
Like many children with autism, I lacked the ability to decode body language and interpret social clues. As a result, I was bullied ruthlessly by my peers.
Star Athlete and Faithful Christian
Everything changed in eighth grade, when I began attending Heart Middle School. That’s when I discovered my new special interest: track. Bullying ceased as I became a star athlete, eventually setting three school records.
In my junior year of high school I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and felt that my life was now on the right track, both literally and metaphorically. I made the honor roll two straight semesters, was a star athlete in track, and memorized over 2,000 Scriptures. (I currently have over 10,000 Scriptures memorized, including 22 complete books of the New Testament.)
In the spring of 1994, our school’s 3,200 meter relay team finished 12th in the State of Michigan. As we drove back from the state final, Nate, the anchor on our relay, commented to Coach Budd, “Next year we could be the fastest 3,200 relay but Ron will be past the age requirement!”
I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, saying, “I will make a way for you.” So I said, “God will provide a way for me to compete.”
Since I had repeated kindergarten, I was past the MHSAA age requirement by three months. My family prayed daily for a miracle. As my senior year approached, my mom contacted the MHSAA. In May 1994, they stated, “Due to your son being past the age requirement we will not allow him to compete!” My parents contacted attorneys and learned that a lawsuit would cost over $40,000.
As the cross-country season drew near, the circumstances seemed hopeless. My mom told me, “There’s nothing we can do now but pray and trust God.” In June 1994, I returned from a five mile run and grabbed the Detroit Free Press. On the front page, I saw an article about Craig Stanley, a fellow athlete past the age requirement.
Our situations were remarkably similar. We were both born in May 1975. Each of us had repeated early elementary grades, and we were both cross-country and track runners. My mom immediately contacted his family. Soon we met and joined forces in prayer and advocating.
Unexpected Blessings and New Beginnings
After I rededicated my life to following Christ, I felt a desire to be re-baptized to demonstrate my commitment. (I was first baptized at nine months old, on the same day I said my first word: “Mom.”)
On Sunday June 10, 1994, I was baptized by Pastor Rob. As Pastor Rob lifted me from the water, he said, “I feel this verse is for you: Joel 2:25, ‘I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and young locust, the other locust and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.’ Your blessings will begin today.”
When I got home and checked the red flashing answering machine, I had an unexpected message from attorney Rick Landau. He said, “I believe that your case will set a precedent for the Americans with Disabilities Act and I want to represent you pro bono.”
As a result, we won our federal case and Craig and I were able to compete during our respective senior years of high school. My 3,200 relay team set the school record; we also ran the second-fastest time out of 182 teams.
During this season, I felt a call to become a minister. Michigan Christian College, now Rochester College, gave me an athletic scholarship for cross-country and track. I finished my freshman year making the Dean’s List both semesters, and I received an academic scholarship to Oral Roberts University. Six years later, I graduated with a Master of Divinity and highest honors.
On December 7, 2012, I married my wife Kristen.
What’s Ahead for the Future
On April 5, 2016, national publisher Charisma House will release my book, A Parent’s Guide to Autism: Practical Advice. Biblical Wisdom. In writing the book, I interviewed over 40 experts in the autism community and over 40 parents who have a child with autism.
Thanks to the help of my parents and the grace of God, I am living my dream working as a professor of theology, serving in the medical field, and enjoying married life with my beautiful wife.
How personal and passionate is your love for God? We were designed to cling close to Him, believe in Him, rely upon Him and never, never leave His side.
We are all pound puppies: scraggly, sinful, smelly and in need of rescue. God looked down at our “waggeldy” tails, wet noses, and flea-filled fur. He released us from our captive cages, vaccinated us from sin with the blood of His own Son and adopted us into His family. Mutts no more! God even gave us pedigree papers to present at the Pearly Gates.
Here are five lessons we learn about loving God from our furry friends: loyalty, celebration, protection, affection and worship.
Loyalty. Dogs are known for their unwavering loyalty. Your dog sits at your feet, follows you everywhere and sleeps at the foot of your bed. Cats own people. People don’t own them. (Sorry guys, I’m a dog person).
Widowed Ruth, the Moabitess, chose to remain at the side of her grief-stricken mother-in-law. Naomi was bereft at the deaths of her precious sons, Mahlon and Killion (Ruth 1:3-5). Destitute Naomi prepared to make the arduous journey home to Bethlehem alone. Ruth refused to abandon her, and chose instead to leave her native country to care for Naomi.
“Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!” Ruth 1:16-17 The Message
God deserves no less from us.
Celebration. My pooch Penny practically leaps out of her skin when I come through the door. Every day I take two minutes to retrieve my mail. As soon as the front door closes, Penny moans and cries as if I have been gone for eons. She jubilantly jumps, gleefully licks my face, happily wriggles and barks upon my return.
An aging father joyously greeted his wayward boy when he returned home, broken and ashamed.
20-21 “When he (the wayward son) was still a long way off, his father saw him. His Father-heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’
22-24 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ Luke 15: 20-24 The Message
Do you rejoice in God’s presence? Are you glad to spend time with Him? Celebrate your Heavenly Father with a grateful heart.
Protection. Even a Chihuahua vigilantly guards his Master; fiercely growling and howling at a potential intruder. The tiny canine has no idea that any child could squish his bony body with a sneaker. Most dogs zealously guard their owners. They patrol the yard, circling the perimeter, listening intently for the slightest unfamiliar sound. If a stranger approaches, they yap incessantly to keep danger at bay.
Jesus was zealous to protect the name and glory of His Father. Whip in hand, Christ drove out the moneychangers and charlatans from the Temple of the Lord.
13And Jesus said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Matthew 21:13 NKJV
Do you guard God’s Name and His holiness, or do you sit idly by and let a corrupt society continue to contaminate and defame His Name? Love Him enough to hate evil and uphold justice.
Affection. My mini-cocker spaniel is a lap dog. No, that is an understatement. Every time my bottom hits the chair, Penny takes a flying leap to my lap and snuggles down as closely as her fat, furry body can get. She licks my hand and strokes my leg with her paw, gazing at me with her adoring brown eyes. Just like cuddly Penny, worship is our deepest expression of affection toward God.
The most common word in the New Testament for “worship” is proskuneo. This word occurs 60 times in the New Testament, 57 of which are in the four gospels, Acts, and Revelation. It originally carried with it the idea of subjects falling down before a monarch to kiss the ground or kiss his feet. Worship, literally defined, means “to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand, to fawn or crouch to, homage (do reverence to, adore): worship.” The elders in heaven worship as God intended:
“The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Rev. 4:10). NLT
Lick God’s Hand in worship today. Lie in the lap of His presence without hurrying away.
Are you expressing your unbridled love for God today? Look to man’s best friend. Be loyal. Be protective of your time with God. Celebrate Him. Show your affection and bow before Him.
Give your pup an extra pet today. Learn to love God from your furry friend.
Kevin Cook: Greek Words for Worship.
Can you believe that your thinking can dynamically impact your physical, spiritual and emotional health? As a Christian neuroscientist, this information is transformational.
We cannot afford not to ”bring all thoughts into captivity to Christ Jesus (2nd Corinthians 10:5)!
Proverbs 23:7:”What man thinks is what he really is.”
The above statistics concerning the impact of your thought life on your health are staggering and eye-opening because it also means that only 2-25% of human mental and physical illnesses come from the environment and genes!
Scientists are discovering the precise pathways by which changes in human consciousness (thinking) produce changes in our brain and bodies. This consciousness activates our genes and changes our brain. Science even shows that thoughts, with their embedded feelings, turn sets of genes on and off in complex relationships. We take the facts, experiences and the events of our lives and assign meaning to them through thinking—we are reacting to the events and circumstances of life.
We may have a fixed set of genes in our chromosomes, but which of those genes is active and how they are active has a great deal to do with how we think and process our subjective experiences, i.e. our reactions. Our thoughts, with their intertwined emotions, produce words and behaviors, which in turn stimulate more thinking, choices and thought building. We are constantly reacting to the circumstances and events of this life and as this cycle goes on, our brains become shaped in a process that will either be in a positive direction or a negative direction. So it is the quality of our thinking and choices, our reactions, which determine our brain architecture. This means that the quality of our thinking (consciousness) affects the shape or architecture of the brain and resultant quality of health in our minds and bodies. Science and scripture show how we are wired for love and optimism (scripture: “we are made in His image”; scientifically: see my book “The Gift in You”), and so when we react by thinking negatively and making negative choices, the quality of our thinking suffers, which means the quality of our “brain architecture” suffers, and, in turn, our health.
Taking this to a deeper level, research shows that DNA actually changes shape according to our thoughts. As you think those negative thoughts about the week ahead that hasn’t happened yet, or that person who hasn’t actually said or done anything yet, (even in the absence of the concrete stimulus) the toxic thinking has changed your brain wiring in a negative direction and thrown your mind and body into stress. According to Dr Herbert Benson, MD, and president of Harvard Medical School’s Mind-Body Institute (http://www.massgeneral.org/bhi/research/), toxic thoughts lead to stress, which affects our body’s natural healing capacities. Toxic thinking literally ‘wears down’ the brain and the rest of the body.
The Institute of Heartmath discusses an experiment titled “Local and nonlocal effects of coherent heart frequencies on Conformational Changes of DNA.” This study showed that thinking and feeling anger, fear and frustration caused DNA to change shape according to thoughts (that is thoughts with their intertwined feelings). The DNA responded by tightening up, becoming shorter and switching off many DNA codes, which reduced quality expression; we will feel ‘shut down” by negative emotions and our body feels this too. What was really exciting about this study is the fact that the negative “shut down” or poor quality of the DNA codes was reversed with feelings of love, joy, appreciation and gratitude! The researchers also found that HIV positive patients with these positive thoughts and feelings had 300,000 times the resistance!
So when we make a poor quality thinking decision—i.e. a toxic thought—such as unforgiveness, bitterness or irritation, we change the DNA and subsequent genetic expression affecting the shape of the wiring in our brain in a negative direction. This immediately puts the brain into protect mode and the brain translates these poor quality toxic thoughts as stress. This stress will then manifest itself in our bodies.
Stress on the Your dictionary website, is defined as “a condition of mental and physical tension or strain, as depression or hypertension, which can result from a reaction to a situation in which a person feels threatened, pressured etc. Synonyms for stress include anxiety, nervousness, fearfulness, apprehensiveness, impatience, fear, tenseness, or restlessness. It is our mind and body’s response to toxic thinking, and even a little bit of stress from a little bit of toxic thinking has far reaching consequences for mental and physical health. There is much research proving this.
Reaction is the key word above, which I discussed in the first few paragraphs. And here is the caveat: you cannot control the events or circumstances of your life but you can control your reactions. And controlling those reactions means the difference between healthy minds and bodies and sick minds and bodies because, according to research, 75-98% of mental and physical illnesses come from our thought lives!
Here are just a few statistics confirming this number: A study by the American Medical Association found that stress is a factor in 75% of all illnesses and diseases that people suffer from today. The association between stress and disease is a colossal 85% (Dr Brian Luke Seaward). The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Health Organization has concluded that 80% of cancers are due to lifestyles and are not genetic, and they say this is a conservative number (Cancer statistics and views of causes Science News Vol.115, No 2 (Jan.13 1979), p.23). According to Dr Bruce Lipton (The Biology of Belief, 2008), gene disorders like Huntington’s chorea, beta thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, to name just a few, affect less than 2% of the population. This means the vast majority of the worlds population come into this world with genes that should enable the to live a happy and healthy life. He says a staggering 98% of diseases are lifestyle choices and therefore, thinking. According to Dr H.F. Nijhout (Metaphors and the Role of Genes and Development, 1990) genes control biology and not the other way around. According to W.C Willett (balancing lifestyle and genomics research for disease prevention Science (296) p 695-698, 2002) only 5% of cancer and cardiovascular patients can attribute their disease to hereditary factors. According to the American Institute of health, it has been estimated that 75 – 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems (http://www.stress.org/americas.htm). Some of the latest stress statistics causing illness as a result of toxic thinking can be found at: www.naturalwellnesscare.com/stress-statistics.html
An undisciplined mind is one filled with a continuous stream of thoughts, worries, fears and distorted perceptions, all of which trigger degenerative processes in the mind and body.
Paul described the power of being proactive with our thought lives in his letter to the Philippians:
Philippians 4:4-8:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
We can learn to see through our enemies to see God’s presence. When troubles like fear, depression, or anxiety seem right on top of us, we can look through them to see that God is right on top of them. Without struggle would assume that the strength came from us instead of from God. But God wants to show Himself strong on our behalf by working in and through our weaknesses.
Preached at Elevation Church. Used by permission.
Dear Roger,
I’m just confused on one point, where does it say that satan has open access to Heaven? and there are scriptures that say no sin can dwell in the presence of God, so Heaven isnt where God is right now?
Sincerely, Seth
Dear Seth,
We hear all the time from people that there is no sin in Heaven! Who says so!? Most people don’t realize that Satan has open access to Heaven even now. We think of Heaven as a place of perfection and peace where there is no more sorrow and no more sin. We are thinking of the permanent Heaven and not the present Heaven. God will one day erect a new Heaven and earth because the present Heaven is soiled with sin.
Unfortunately there is pain and suffering in the present Heaven. For example, in Revelation 6 we see in the present Heaven a group of martyrs who are weeping as they plead for God to wreak vengeance on their persecutors.
God does not remove all the tears from Heaven until Revelation 21 (when He puts the permanent Heaven into place.).
We must be careful not to confuse the present Heaven with the permanent Heaven. At the “end time God” will create a new permanent Heaven and a new Earth where there are no longer any tears or sins.
Don’t misunderstand me. The present Heaven is intimacy with Jesus Christ and all that implies. I can hardly wait to talk to Jesus–and see Jessie and mom and dad again! I want to kneel before the Savior and declare, “Jesus Christ is Lord with countless millions. Jesus has work for me to do based on how well I managed the resources that He gave me to work with while I was alive on earth. I am looking forward to my new responsibilities and getting to work!
Let me answer your questions succinctly.
Three times the Bible shows us Satan in Heaven. In Isaiah 14 he was living in Heaven when He rebelled. God cast him out of Heaven. Then, in Job 1 and 2 Satan is allowed back in Heaven where he argued with God concerning Job’s righteousness and loyalty to God. Finally, in Revelation 12 God will cast Satan permanently out of Heaven and down to earth where he fosters Great Tribulation on the earth.
By the way, I don’t know the answer to your question about reconciling Satan being in heaven with the fact that God will not allow sin in His presence. This is a mystery to me. I think that we will just have to ask God when we get to Heaven.
In terms of practical application let me tell you why your question is more important than you probably realize. These passages make clear that we are involved in an intense spiritual battle with Satan here on earth. He blinds the eyes of unbelievers so that they cannot see the glory of Christ. He can bring us pain, suffering and devastation. He is out to steal, kill and destroy our abundant life in Christ. We are the “pawns” in the game of Heavenly chess as God and Satan fight over our loyalty and commitment to Christ.
As we mature in Christ, we enter into intense spiritual battles because Satan now has access to Heaven–and to earth.
OK, Seth, you can stop reading here. I hope I have answered your question satisfactorily.
However, I have taken time to write below a short theology of Satan’s fall and ultimate end. I hope you will read it. I think you will find the rest of my letter both helpful and informative.
Most people look to Isaiah 14 and Revelation 12 as passages describing the Fall of Satan before our world was even created.
Isaiah 14 is an ode to the fallenness of the King of Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem and kidnapped the Jews into captivity. Many see it as a double fulfillment for Satan’s fall as well as for the destruction of Babylon. In describing the fall of the Babylonian king we see the fall of Satan himself from Heaven.
“How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to Heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; ….I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave …” (Isaiah 14:12-15).
Many view Satan as the praise leader in Heaven whose arrogant pride enticed him to rival God for ascendancy and worship. This passage describes the moment God cast the self-infatuated devil out of Heaven. Tradition seems to indicate that Satan seduced about one-third of God’s angels to join his rebellion. God tossed the these angels now demons aside as well.
Satan and two-thirds of his followers were cast to the earth where they are causing much mischief and destruction. The remaining third were cast into “Tartarus” which is the lowest level of Hell. During the Great Tribulation these venom-slinging locusts (Revelation 9) will be released from “Tartarus” when the fifth trumpet (also identified as the “first woe”) sounds. They bring great torment on those who acquiesced to the pressure and allowed themselves to be stained by the Mark of the Beast (666) (Revelation 9:1-11).
Jesus acknowledged that He witnessed the fall of Satan from Heaven to earth:
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him (Revelation 12:7-9).
This passage refers not only to the original fall from Heaven but also to the expulsion from Heaven which will occur during the Great Tribulation when Satan indwells the Anti-christ and the “Abomination of Desolation” is erected in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem—and all Hell breaks loose on earth.
Satan’s fall explains the origin of sin and suffering on earth. He seduced Adam and Eve in the Garden and now is in charge of this earth. Jesus confirmed this when He did not nullify Satan’s offer to give him the kingdoms of this world. This is also confirmed in the Book of Revelation. The purpose of opening the Seals is for God to take back the title deed to earth which is now in Satan’s possession.
For whatever reasons God allows Satan current access to Heaven. For example, in Job 1-2 Satan is standing before the throne arguing with God over the righteousness of Job.
Also, Paul taught that Satan “whispers in the ear of God” accusations about God’s people concerning their sins and shortcomings.
As you can see, the present Heaven is stained by horrendous sin. We will certainly enjoy it when we arrive there because the greatest attraction about Heaven is God Himself. Nevertheless think of how exciting will be the sight of the creation of the permanent Heaven. John declared:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:1-4).
Thanks for your question, Seth. I hope my answer is helpful.
Love, Roger
The classic story of David and Goliath answers the question, “What does real courage look like?” David’s heart surfaces in this story of fear and faith. “David showed us that when the odds truly are against us and re feel overwhelmed, the single most important thing we can ever do is to remember what is most real-the character, power and rule of God.” (Becky Pippert, “A Heart for God.”)
Preached at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. www.gospelforlife.com/freesermons
People skills are invaluable in leadership. Imagine how difficult it would be for a man to lead if he was timid and indecisive. Or consider the wreckage produced by a leader who is arrogant and brash. In either case, his private life might be orderly and disciplined, but his lack of ability in the public realm would hinder his leadership. The way a man deals with others determines how, and whether, they follow him.
Last time, we examined the biblical qualifications of a Christian leader. He must be a man of private integrity, not given to impurity or excess, but instead moderate and disciplined.
Equally important are those public aspects of his character that affect how he ministers to other believers. First Timothy 3:2-3 says that an overseer must be “hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.”
Hospitable
The Greek word translated “hospitable” is composed of the words xenos (“stranger”) and phile? (“to love” or “show affection”). It means “to love strangers.” Thus biblical hospitality is showing kindness to strangers, not just friends. In Luke 14:12–14 our Lord said:
When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
I realize that showing love toward strangers requires vulnerability and can even be dangerous—some might take advantage of you. While God doesn’t ask us to discard wisdom and discernment in dealing with strangers (cf. Matthew 10:16), He does require us to love them by being hospitable (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9).
When I consider my responsibility to love strangers, I am reminded that God received into His family we who were “excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Since God has welcomed those of us who are Gentiles, how can we fail to welcome strangers into our homes? After all, everything we have belongs to God. We are simply His stewards.
A Skilled Teacher
An elder must be a skilled teacher. That’s the one qualification that sets him apart from deacons and the rest of the congregation.
You might wonder why Paul includes this qualification in a list of moral qualities. He does so because effective teaching is predicated on the moral character of the teacher. What a man is cannot be divorced from what he says. “He that means as he speaks,” writes Richard Baxter, “will surely do as he speaks.” [1]
Paul repeatedly reminded Timothy of the priority of teaching (1 Timothy 5:17; 2 Timothy 2:2, 15). While all believers are responsible to teach others the truths they have learned in God’s Word, not all have the gift of teaching (1 Corinthians 12:29). Those who aspire to church leadership, however, must be so gifted.
What criteria identify a man as a skilled teacher? There are several:
- He must be credible and live what he teaches (1 Timothy 4:12).
- He must have the gift of teaching (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6).
- He must have a deep understanding of doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6).
- He must have an attitude of humility (2 Timothy 2:24–25).
- His life must be marked by holiness (1 Timothy 4:7; 6:11).
- He must be a diligent student of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15).
- He must avoid error (1 Timothy 4:7; 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16).
- He must have strong courage and consistent convictions (cf. 1 Timothy 1:18–19; 4:11, 13).
What kind of man should be in church leadership? A man of sincere devotion and genuine love for others. That mentality is, in itself, a high standard to live by, but it’s one that every church leader must be held to. Other Christians look to the leader for an example to follow, and God holds him accountable to provide one.
Imagine taking your family to a new church. The teaching is decent, so you keep attending. You get to know some of the elders, hoping to learn from their examples and grow spiritually. Meanwhile, your kids get involved in the youth ministry, and your family becomes immersed in the church.
But as the weeks pass, you realize that big problems lie beneath the surface. Several elders tolerate major sin in their lives, and they disagree on virtually every issue. The congregation is confused on important doctrines. Factions form, and everyone picks sides. To make matters worse, your family members are becoming disjointed and quarrelsome, likely affected by the poor church leadership.
Would you stay? Probably not. It would be difficult for you and your family to grow spiritually in that environment. Churches need leaders who live according to biblical principles and who are unified in sound doctrine. Otherwise, believers have no one to guide them in following God’s design for the church.
In 1 Timothy 3, Paul gives Timothy God’s standard for church leadership. Picking up where we left off on Monday, an overseer is “not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money” (1 Timothy 3:3).
Not a Drinker
The Greek word translated “addicted to wine” (paroinos) means “one who drinks.” It doesn’t refer to a drunkard—that’s an obvious disqualification. The issue here is the man’s reputation: Is he known as a drinker?
The Greek word translated “temperate” (1 Timothy 3:2) refers in its literal sense to one who is not intoxicated. Paroinos, on the other hand, refers to one’s associations: Such a person doesn’t frequent bars, taverns, and inns. He is not at home in the noisy scenes associated with drinking. A man who is a drinker has no place in the ministry because he sets a poor example for others by choosing to fellowship with immoral men instead of God’s people.
Not a Fighter
A leader of God’s people cannot settle disputes with his fists or in other violent ways. The Greek word translated “pugnacious” means “a striker.” An elder isn’t quick tempered and doesn’t resort to physical violence. This qualification is closely related to “not addicted to wine” because such violence is usually connected with people who drink excessively.
A spiritual leader must be able to handle things with a cool mind and a gentle spirit. As Paul said, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome” (2 Timothy 2:24).
Easily Pardons Human Failure
Instead of being pugnacious, a leader must be “gentle.” The Greek word translated “gentle” describes the person who is considerate, genial, forbearing, gracious, and easily pardons human failure.
In a practical sense, a gentle leader has the ability to remember good and forget evil. He doesn’t keep a record of wrongs people have committed against him (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:5). I know people who have left the ministry because they couldn’t get over someone’s criticizing or upsetting them. They carry a list of grievances that eventually robs them of the joy of serving others.
Discipline yourself not to talk or even think about wrongs done against you because it serves no productive purpose. It simply rehearses the hurts and clouds your mind with anger.
Not Quarrelsome
The Greek word translated “peaceable” means “reluctant to fight.” It refers not so much to physical violence as to a quarrelsome person. To have a contentious person in leadership will result in disunity and disharmony.
Free from the Love of Money
Love of money can corrupt a man’s ministry because it tempts him to view people as a means through whom he can acquire more riches.
Here’s a simple principle I’ve used to keep from loving money: Don’t place a price on your ministry. If someone gives you a financial gift you didn’t seek, you can accept it from the Lord and be thankful for it. But if you pursue money, you’ll never know if it came from Him or from your own efforts, and that will rob you of the joy of seeing God provide for your needs.
All these traits are essential for Christian leadership, since every leader sets an example that others imitate. If the example is one of godly character, then the leader’s ministry will edify the body of Christ. As he strives to be hospitable, honorable, peaceable, forgiving, and unselfish, other Christians will do the same. The result is an environment of purity, humility, and genuine love among brothers—fertile ground for the growth of the church.
2 Blog Articles by John MacArthur, Parts 1 and 2
www.gty.org. Used by permission.
Pastors have an awesome calling. They’re my heroes. I serve them through the pastors.com community because I know what it’s like to be in the trenches of leading a local congregation. It’s tough. It’s blessed, it’s fulfilling, it’s an adventure… but it’s tough. Why is it so tough? There are plenty of reasons but for me, the primary has always been living up to the unrealistic expectations of fellow believers.
In the way of personal testimony, my own failure to live up to the expectations of others (which should not have been my focus to begin with) drove me to discouragement and a period of very real depression in my life just a few years ago. I still go there sometimes, slipping into that dark place where the names and faces of those I’ve disappointed flash through my mind. But I’ve also learned, the hard way, that I absolutely must stand confident in three things:
- My identity as God’s child, which means His approval alone matters.
- My calling, which is irrevocable, and which is entirely by grace.
- My focus on the Great Commission, which is our prime objective.
Here’s the problem…
One of the greatest burdens Pastors carry is the constant pressure to be thinking of everyone. I encourage Pastors to move past this and focus on the least, the lost, and the last who need Jesus. But inevitably, Christians tend to put Pastors back into that box of being the chaplain instead of the prophet.
An inevitable part of being a Pastor, as I’ve learned the hard way for nearly twenty years now, is that I can’t give personalized attention to everyone. I keep a list of prayer needs and reach out when I can, but I can’t personally care for everyone. Neither can my church, as an institution. Often there needs to be this sort of mutual relationship that develops, with believers, where we look to the church for help but also don’t place unrealistic expectations on others.
I can testify to the stomach turning power of comments like, “I was hurting and you weren’t there for me…”, “I missed church two weeks in a row and nobody checked on me…”, “I went through a trial and you were too busy preaching to notice…”
Ouch.
This isn’t a whine session or even a rant. I’m actually quite happy as Pastor of Grace Hills, and in a decade of blogging, I’ve only mentioned this a handful of times. But two and a half years into the life of a young church plant, I seem to be hearing it more often again. It reminds me of what Pastors everywhere struggle with and I want to speak out.
If you’re not a Christian, I’m not speaking to you. If you’re a new Christian, you need the church and its leadership. But to those who have been believers for some length of time, let me remind you of a big, important truth: It’s not about you. It stopped being about you when you were rescued, saved, and found your place on the rescue team alongside other rescuers. From this point on, to one extend or another, you must begin to own the responsibility for your own spiritual and emotional health.
What might be more realistic…
Perhaps a more realistic situation would be to have some more appropriately human-sized expectations of Pastors.
If I’ve let you down, I’m sorry. I really am. If some other Pastor has let you down, know that he probably cares way more than you’re giving him credit for. But so that you’ll know what to expect of me in the future, let me help you understand what I consider the biblical role of Pastors (according to Acts 20, 1 Peter 5, John 22, 2 Timothy 3 and 4, and many other passages).
- The first and primary role of a Pastor is to feed the flock. This entails spending a great deal of time alone with God in prayer and study, digging into God’s truth and consistently teaching the congregation, over the long haul, the whole counsel of God. Much of our counseling can’t be done one-on-one, but it can be done as we address a range of biblical topics from the pulpit. The Pastor is the primary guardian of the flock assigned to protect the body from doctrinal error. The gospel, which is the very core and foundation of who the church is to be, is threatened daily from all sides. The Pastor’s first role is to make the gospel clear repeatedly.
- The second role of a Pastor is to lead the flock. That is, he’s the chief visionary for the local church. Impeding his work with red tape is unacceptable. If he has the gospel right and lives by the qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3, let him lead. He’s a shepherd. He’s fully capable of hearing direction from God and moving the flock forward. Your Pastor never has permission to manipulate you or spiritually abuse you. The word “authority” doesn’t really fit as much as the word “influence” does. Cults begin with an undue emphasis on the leader’s “authority” over the flock while thriving churches live under the leader’s freedom to influence.
Then who meets the needs of individuals?
The individuals do. A quick reading through the New Testament reveals dozens of “one another” commands. Christians are responsible to care for one another as much as possible in times of weakness, illness, and suffering. But as churches grow, believers also need to have an understanding that in order to be cared for by the community, I must involve myself in the community. This means getting connected. How?
- Commit to membership, which is way more about responsibility than privilege. It’s a way of saying, “I’m a believer who is here to pull my weight in this family and I’m going ‘all in.’” And part of membership is not just attending the weekend gathering, but being in a small group, which is essential.
- Decide to grow in maturity. While Pastors are to “feed the flock” in a general sense, they can’t possibly take responsibility in a couple of hours per week for the spiritual health of every church member. Dig into the Word, pray, give, and stay involved.
- Get involved in the ministry of the church by serving others and volunteering. Pastors are to equip people for ministry, but the ministry belongs to every member. See Ephesians 4 for the full story on that.
- Own the mission. The Great Commission is absolutely top priority for the church. Any church that turns inwardly and focuses on meeting all the needs of believers while reducing the energy formerly invested into reaching those outside the faith has already begun preparing for its own funeral.
There are better ways to part ways.
Amazingly, most of the people who helped start Grace Hills have gone on to other fellowships for a variety of reasons. Even more amazingly is that in almost every case we’ve maintained friendship. They’ve left on good terms. The motivation has been to have a need met we couldn’t meet or to help another struggling flock or to pursue an opportunity to serve unavailable at Grace Hills. Leaving a church isn’t always a bad thing, but relational health requires talking and honest expression. When that happens, my heart and conscience are far more clear.
The bottom line.
I love you. Your Pastor most likely loves you too. I’m sorry if I’ve let you down. I’ll try to do better. But for my own spiritual and emotional health, and yours too, I’ve decided to find my confidence in my identity in Christ, my calling by grace, and my commission to leave the ninety-nine in the flock to go after the one who is lost. When I try to keep you happy, I fail us both.
From www.pastors.com. www.brandonacox.com. Used by permission.
There are two words in the Greek language that could be translated as Greeks – Hellenistoi and Hellenes. Both refer to Greek affiliation. John uses here the latter word. The difference between the words is usually understood as the following: Hellenistoi is used for Greek-behaving people, like Greek-speaking Jews (Hellenized Jews); while the second word refers to ethnic Greeks (in this case probably the Greek God-fearers that we meet in the book of Acts). However, in John’s Gospel, we are faced with an interesting dilemma. John does not seem to use hoi Ioudaioi (usually translated as the Jews) as others use it. He has his own use that is particular to his Gospel, given his unique audience and situation. (The use of hoi Ioudaioi meant something to his audience that it does not mean to others).
NOTE: To read posts on all previous chapters of John, please, click “The Jewish-Samaritan Journey” banner that appears on the right bar. To express your provisional interest in taking the “Jewish Context of the New Testament course”, click HERE.
Thinking along the same lines it is entirely possible that John has his own use of Hellenes as well. Whereas others use the term Hellenes for ethnic Greeks, John may be using it in a different way. But this of course is only a possibility. The burden of proof is upon those who would like to argue that these were Hellenized Jews and not God-fearing Greeks. We must however think of both possibilities with the first still being the most probable one.
Whether Hellenized Jews are in view or Greeks God-fearers (probable version), who were seeking out Jewish religious leader for a meeting, Jesus’ following had reached the farthest corner of Jewish influence! (If one looks at the Israelite umbrella of various Jewish movements, the Gentile God-fearers who had not fully joined Jewish community, but in many ways affiliated themselves, can be viewed as occupying the furthest corner of Jewish communal influence.) Now that Jesus has followers not only in Judea, Galilee, Samaria, but also in the Diaspora he declares that the time for the Son of Man to be glorified has finally come (something that he denied number of times before).
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
What is very intriguing here is that the Gospel does not tell us if Jesus actually met with the Greeks. Instead the author switches his emphasis to the words of Jesus where he spoke of his coming death and sacrifice. It is likely that Greeks were invited in; and what comes in the following verses may constitute a summary of that conversation. Jesus’ point is simple. Unless he dies, his ministry will not bear much fruit. Those who sanctify God’s name might also be required to die with him, but his Father will honor them.
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“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.”
The words of Jesus speak deeply of his full humanity. It is not natural for a human being to want to suffer and die. Jesus, understanding the core of his mission, is willing to do so.
Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
The connection between God’s voice and thunder is important here. We read in Ex.19:16-19: “16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder.” The voice of God in speaking of the glorification of Jesus is, therefore, set in the same glorious context.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
As I discussed in the previous section, while it is traditional to assume that the ruler of this world is Satan, the enemy of God’s purposes on this earth, it is also possible (though this is only a possibility) that a particular evil leader of the hoi Ioudaioi in fact was in view instead.
The Qumran community speaks of a wicked priest as a towering evil figure in the Qumranic imagination. While one cannot simply draw quick conclusions, we are justified however in entertaining the possibility of such a figure. It is noteworthy that every known case of persecution against Jesus and the Jerusalem believers in Jesus, especially their leaders, “was taken when the reigning high priest was one of those who belonged to the powerful Sadducean family of Annas.” Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law condemned both Jesus and Stephen. James the Son of Zebedee was executed and Peter was arrested by Agrippa I; while Matthias, son of Annas, was probably a priest.
In Acts 12:3 we are told that the king was motivated to gain the favor with “the Jews,” that is to “placate the high priest Mathias and his family” since some time before Agrippa had humiliated Annas’ family by deposing Theophilus, brother of Mathias. Another son of Annas, Ananus II, put James to death taking advantage of being Roman Emperor’s before the appointment of the next leader of the Empire. The above shows that we are justified to speak of a case of family vendetta against “the followers of a man whose movement Caiphas (as a member of Annas priestly family) had expected to but failed to stamp out”.[1]
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
It was clear to Jesus that he would be crucified and would be lifted up on the Roman cross for criminals. When this dying/sowing of the seed happens, it would produce much fruit and all men (in this nearer sense, Israel, though certainly not only) would be drawn to him.
[1] See Bauckham, R. 2007. James and the Jerusalem Community. In Jewish Believers in Jesus: The Early Centuries. Edited by O. Skarsaune and R. Hvalvik. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 75.
www.eteacherbiblical.com. Used by permission.
Romans 8 is a powerful picture of victory in Christ. Because we are unconditionally loved and freed from condemnation, we can be completely honest and vulnerable before God. We are to use our freedom to engage with Him and His Word. Instead of a body of death (Romans 7), we are given a powerful new life (Romans 8).
Preached at Central Christian Church.
The clock was ticking, demanding her urgent attention, and yet she sat still. Martha breathed deeply and tried to close out the clamor of her to-do list. Rest. She wanted to start her days with rest.
Martha was seeking deliverance from what she called, “hurried sickness.” As obligations waited, she chose to drink in peace. The sun felt warm on her skin as she watched a tiny lizard scale her garden wall. It would probably be hotter later in the day, but now the temperature was a perfect 75 degrees. The intoxicating scent of the native chocolate flowers hung thick in the early morning air.
Quietly, she sipped her tea and meditated on a simple passage in the Psalms, “Early will I seek you.” Pure wisdom grew and took root in Martha’s heart, and in her morning solitude she heard God whisper to her of his steadfast love.
When life is hectic it may seem counter-intuitive to carve out time to listen to God, but it is essential. In the gospel of Luke chapter 10, there is another Martha who uncovered this important lesson.
She will forever be remembered as the woman who mistakenly believed serving Jesus was more important than listening to him. Scripture says Martha was distracted by much service, anxious and troubled by many things. But, she missed the one thing necessary, hearing Jesus speak. In contrast to Martha’s behavior, her sister Mary grasped the importance of living in the moment.
Mary rightly discerned Jesus didn’t come to town to teach every day. How did Martha miss this connection? Did she honestly believe Jesus needed her to cook for him when in the chapter before, Luke 9, he had easily fed five thousand without her help?
Did she believe it wasn’t a woman’s place to study theology or sit under such a great teacher? Did she not understand that Jesus’ message was for people just like her? People who are responsible, but who first need their own cup filled before they can meet the needs of those they loved.
For whatever reason, Martha initially pursued service over rest. She will later grow to value what Jesus values. And like the Martha of the Bible, we need to see the strength to touch others’ lives flows from those moments we spend sitting at Jesus feet.
We need to revisit this story with fresh eyes. Look at Luke 10:38-42.
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” ESV
Service is not an evil endeavor. Jesus delights when we serve him. It is the much serving which can cause us to develop deaf ears. When we only serve and never take the time to listen we put our spiritual lives in jeopardy. So, what are some of the dangers revealed in this story of exhausted service?
When we only serve, we are tempted to question God’s goodness.
Look at Martha’s confrontation of Jesus in verse 40. “Lord, do you not care…?” Of course God cares. God is good all the time. He is always concerned about our real needs, but when exhaustion has overtaken us, we are easily convinced God doesn’t care about us.
Only pulling away from the hustle of life allows us to regain our perspective. If we neglect this sweetness, our spiritual deafness increases. It won’t be long before we feel free to boss God around. Look again at Martha’s next comment in verse 40, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”
Not only has the fog of serving left Martha questioning Jesus’ purity and holiness, but it has also clouded her judgment about her place in their relationship. Jesus’ sacrifice grants us the authority we need in prayer, but we do not control God. He can meet our requests in a multitude of ways. We must come in humility. We must wait on his answer, his timing and his provision.
Bossing God will destroy our ability to hear him speak.
When we only serve, we are tempted to judge others.
Mary was acting with the purest motives when she sat listening at Jesus’ feet. And yet, Martha could not see what was happening. When we are weary, tired and don’t find time for our own spiritual refreshment, we will feel free to sit in judgment over other people’s motives and actions. So, the absence of genuine spiritual peace can wreak havoc on all our relationships. We will constantly misread our loved ones’ intentions, especially their pure intentions.
Frantic speed will blind us and make it easy to condemn others.
When we only serve, God’s voice is muffled.
Most people’s hearing will diminish with age. Embarrassing things happen when we smile and nod at people, when we really didn’t hear what they said. Like the loss of hearing, we cannot successfully navigate our spiritual lives on partial information.
Satan doesn’t have to completely silence God’s voice for us to become disabled. If he can just muffle it, we will be unsure of God’s plan or assignment.
Sometimes God will speak with great clarity about our future, but he withholds the details. It takes great patience and faith to wait on his full revelation.
Martha believed Jesus was the Messiah, but she did not value his words. Jesus spoke to her and commended Mary for choosing the better way. Martha had chosen to only hear half of her Messiah’s message.
Martha’s story has unearthed three risk factors found in a hectic life. Exhausted service will tempt us to question God’s goodness, tempt us to judge others, and muffle God’s voice. Time spent listening to Jesus is the key to living and serving well.
1) Think back to the modern Martha at the beginning of our lesson. What actions or attitudes enabled her to hear God speak?
2) What might change if we could start our day with rest?
3) What might change if we valued hearing God speak?
Luke 10 ends with Jesus praising Mary’s heart. Look again at verse 42, “..but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken from her.” In Jesus’ promise to Mary we find such tenderness and joy. Maybe we could make this promise our prayer:
Lord Jesus, like Mary I want to choose the good portion, the one thing which is necessary. Don’t let it be taken from me. I ask these things in your name, believing they are your will for my life. Amen
I have often said that many Reformed evangelicals think of sound, expository preaching as something of a ‘magic bullet.’ We may think that as long as we are preaching the Word–preaching the law and the gospel rightly–that everything else in congregational life will somehow take care of itself. We may give lip service to the other two marks of the church–the administration of the sacraments and discipline–but we don’t give them proper weight. Fully considered, the administration of the sacraments includes pastoral care, education, and discipleship, while the ministry of discipline means rightly ordering the community, that is, pastoral leadership.
I have often seen many men spend a great amount of time on preparing and preaching lengthy, dense, expository messages, while giving far less time and energy to the learning of leadership and pastoral nurture. It takes lots of experience and effort to help a body of people make a unified decision, or to regularly raise up new lay leaders, or to motivate and engage your people in evangelism, or to think strategically about the stewardship of your people’s spiritual gifts, or even to discern what they are. It takes lots of experience and effort to know how to help a sufferer without being either too passive or too directive, or to know when to confront a doubter and when to just listen patiently. Pastors in many of our Reformed churches do not seem to be as energized to learn to be great leaders and shepherds, but rather have more of an eye to being great teachers and preachers.
I’d point us to the example of John Calvin himself. No one put more emphasis on expository preaching as central to ministry. And yet Calvin sat nearly every Thursday in the Consistory, hearing hundreds of practical pastoral cases each year brought by the elders of the city to the council of pastors and other elders. He applied his theology to the intimate details of “adultery and fornication, disputed engagements and weddings, family quarrels, incest, rape, sodomy, buggery, prostitution, voyeurism, abortion, child neglect, child abuse, education disputes, spousal abuse, mistreatment of maids, family poverty, embezzlement of family property, sickness, divorce, marital property disputes, inheritance…” (Witte and Kingdon, Sex, Marriage, and Family in John Calvin’s Geneva, Vol 1, p. 15.) Also, Calvin’s voluminous correspondence shows what a forceful and wise leader and statesman he was. Because Calvin was not only a preacher but also a great shepherd and leader, he built up the church in a way that changed the world.
I pastor a church with a large staff and so I give 15+ hours a week to preparing the sermon. I would not advise younger ministers to spend so much time, however. When I was a pastor without a staff I put in 6-8 hours on a sermon. If you put in too much time in your study on your sermon you put in too little time being out with people as a shepherd and a leader. Ironically, this will make you a poorer preacher. It is only through doing people-work that you become the preacher you need to be–someone who knows sin, how the heart works, what people’s struggles are, and so on. Pastoral care and leadership (along with private prayer) are to a great degree sermon preparation. More accurately, it is preparing the preacher, not just the sermon. Through pastoral care and leadership you grow from being a Bible commentator into a flesh and blood preacher.
The prophet Elijah experienced great victories and great trials in his life. Calling fire down from heaven was a miraculous triumph. But lonely days of starvation at the Brook Kerith, and the death of the widow’s son at Zarephath refined the man of God and made him realize the great Creator he served.
Breakthroughs often follow breakdowns. All of us love breakthroughs right? We love spiritual breakthroughs when God answers a prayer or some miracle happens. We love breakthroughs, but in my experience, those are typically preceded by breakdowns.
In the Old Testament, the Lord often didn’t deliver Israel until the people were broken down. What did they need to break down? In this case, some Baals and Ashtoreths that were idols in their lives. I don’t doubt that many of them thought that they were serving the Lord and worshiping the Lord, but they had their little Baals on the side.
I went to KFC this weekend and they’ve got the option of two or three sides, biscuits and cole slaw and I like sides, and I think spiritually many of us like two or three things on the side. What we want is to follow Christ but we have this little Baal over here and Ashtoreth over there. I just don’t know if I can give those things up. I love the Lord but the Lord only? To put everything in? Yes!
Listen, I think what we need to understand is that we have a loving God who is a jealous God. He is a jealous God for all of us. He doesn’t want part of us, He wants all of us. That means that sometimes we have to go through the process of God breaking us down.
When I look back at the setbacks in my life, I think part of what God was doing was breaking me down emotionally, spiritually, and motivationally. The Lord sometimes reveals your true motivations and not all of them are right? That hurts, but here’s what I’ve learned. I’ve learned not just to endure but to embrace some of the breaking down that God does in my life. Because when God breaks me down emotionally, here is what I believe He is doing, He is expanding my emotional capacity to handle more stress!
Awesome! How exciting! You want to be used by the Lord? You want Him to expand your influence? We all want the promotion and the paycheck that comes with it, but you know what else comes with that? More stress! So we are not seeking the stress, per say, that tends to be the thing that we put up with for everything else that comes with it, but what I’m suggesting is that there are situations where God expands our emotional capacity.
Motivationally, He breaks us down and purifies our motives to make sure that what we are doing, we are doing for the glory of God. Spiritually, when I’ve faced ministry setbacks, just gut-wrenching disappointment that came with it, I’ll tell you what happened. It broke down my faith. Have you ever been there? Those moments where you think God is leading and you are sure this was it, then what?
The Lord was breaking down that faith. Why would the Lord do that? There are a lot of parallels between the physical realm and the spiritual realm. Hopefully some of you know this, when you go to the gym, in essence, you are trying to build yourself up, but how do you do it? You do it be breaking down your muscles. That’s the only way you can grow stronger. You’ve got to break them down.
By the way, it’s that last weight-lifting repetition where all the value, when it’s most painful, when you feel that breaking down, what happens is your body builds itself back up stronger. You know this. Spiritually, isn’t that true? God often has to break us down. Here’s why I say that, because I have a hunch that some of you are in that building up stage and you are loving God and you are loving life and everything seems to be good, but there are a lot of you reading this who are in the breaking down stage and it hurts. You may feel just like the Israelites who felt abandoned by God when He disciplined them to increase their faith.
Why is God so busy answering everybody else’s prayer but mine? Perhaps it is a season where your heart has become a little hardened. Maybe there is some sin that has been calcified in your life and maybe, just maybe there is some pride or some bitterness or some anger or some lust that God needs to begin to break down. And He begins to break those things down so that then He can build us back up.
I think that’s what you see here. I guess the question I want to ask you is: Are you serving the Lord only or is there something else? If there is something else, that needs to be broken down in our lives so that God can build us back up.
Taken from the Sermon “Samuel” from the series “Legends” at National Community Church, Washington, D.C. July 4, 2010.
Satan has been decisively defeated in the death and resurrection of Christ through Christians who believe and speak the Word of God and wear His armor. Satan will finally be vanquished and thrown into the Lake of Fire, never to deceive and torment the world again. God will give grace for the battle.
By John Piper. ©2013 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org. Used by permission.
Dear Roger,
I have Asperger’s Syndrome (a type of autism). Do I retain this characteristic or will Jesus Christ remove that condition from me? I actually like being able to do complex math and I’m not wild about being around other humans so being an Aspie doesn’t bother me.
Sincerely, Craig
Dear Craig,
I believe that my dad had a touch of Asperger’s Syndrome. It is important that our readers understand that Asperger’s syndrome is a disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Most Asperger’s are also brilliant in several areas. The intensity of the syndrome varies greatly from person to person.
In very simple terms I like to think of Asperger’s as being on a brain spectrum which extends from “Normal” to Asperger’s to Autism. Most autistic persons are male. Moving along the spectrum we find engineers who are quite structured and build great things but who tend to be somewhat more socially inhibited than females. Many of them don’t tend to talk a lot. On the other side of the spectrum we find women in many more social interaction activities and relationship settings. At the other end of the spectrum, women are also much more likely to lose their keys.
My dad was a great dad; however, socially, he could say the strangest things at times. He thought that he was being clever; yet, many times in public we never knew what he was going to say next. He could embarrass us all in an instant.
I remember once standing in line at a convenience store as Dad was handing money to the cashier. He said, “I bet it would be easy to dip your hand in the till and take money with no one knowing. Have you ever thought about doing it?” We all cringed. To Dad, that was just a normal question from his curious mind. To the rest of us, it was questioning the integrity of the cashier and inappropriate probing into their privacy.
Nevertheless, he was able to interact well in many settings. For example, he was the vice president in charge of finances for a major airline for 40 years. He had a great mind for numbers, details, budgets and profit forecasting. His tendency toward Asperger’s served him well in many settings.
I have some of Dad’s symptoms. My mind is sharp and quick. I am great with numbers and details but I tend to keep quiet in social settings because people tend to look strangely at me after some of the things I say. My family is constantly telling me to be careful what I say in public. The other day my son-in-law and I were driving when I saw some boys playing basketball. I said to Ricky, “Pull over.” He said, “No.” Roll your window back, up, I don’t want you to say anything to them.” I am learning to analyze carefully what I am about to say to see if I really want to say it. Most of the time, I desist.
The good thing is that God can use folks who struggle with Asperger’s just like He can use anyone else in the Kingdom.
One of the best things about my Dad’s tendency toward Asperger’s was his constant repetition of things he had said before. He often struggled with new things to say in social settings, so he would return to things he had said before in similar situations. I was embarrassed for him sometimes when he repeated the same things over and over. Some of this has genetically “rubbed” off on me. I remember once finishing a round of golf with two men I had never met before. As we walked off the final green I told the two how much fun I’d had, how impressed I was with their games and how much I would like to play with them again. They said, “Thanks.” Then I repeated the same words again and they said, “Thanks.” Then I repeated them again, and again, and again. Nothing seemed unusual until one of the men turned to my long-time-golfing buddy and said, “Is he making fun of us?” My friend said, “No, he just gets this way sometimes.”
The beautiful thing is that the good things Dad repeated took deep root in my soul.
Every time we selected something to buy, he repeated, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten.” I got really tired of hearing that; but, in a good way, his repetition affects every purchase I make these days.
Whenever he faced life’s difficulties, he repeated Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I remember the moment when his doctor told him that no more medicines were available to fight his cancer.
“Well, then, what are we going to try next,” dad asked.
“There is no next,” said the doctor.
As the reality of impending death sunk in, Dad looked at me and said, “Well,” and then he paused and thought for a while. Finally, he whispered quietly to himself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If I heard him say it once I heard him say it a thousand times. I was sick of hearing it. Now, I say it all the time—and I am the better man and Christian for it.
I am glad, Craig, that you have made peace with your Asperger’s and now find many aspects of it to have positive impact in your life. I am reminded that God has designed us even before we are born to have our place in the Kingdom. I believe that He makes no mistakes in these areas. David wrote in Psalm 139:13-16:
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
When God called Jeremiah to full-time service as a prophet, He told Jeremiah that he was custom-designed for the task: “The word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
I believe that Jesus will use you and your Asperger’s well in the Kingdom here on earth.
Now, concerning whether or not you will have Asperger’s in Heaven, I really don’t know. However, it may be that 1 John 3:2-3 trumps all other considerations. Paul wrote, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
Craig, I really appreciate your question. I know there are many people who have Asperger’s or a friend who does that will be helped by your question.
May God bless you richly. See you in Heaven.
Love, Roger
When a Jericho (a seemingly insurmountable obstacle) blocks your path, never confuse God’s patience with weakness or approval. in yesterday’s (or someone else’s battle plan. God will go before you. The first and best always belongs to God. The path to victory is found in obedience.
Dear Roger,
What are your thoughts on the “feel good” church, and how do they get away from preaching the gospel and the studies through scripture…..!!??
From Concerned Child
Dear Concerned Child,
I assume that you are using the term “feel good” to define churches—especially today’s megachurches—which seem to water down the gospel and avoid and/or seldom us the word “sin” in order not to offend. These churches seem to prefer pop-cultural counseling sermons to Biblical ones. Some describe “feel good” churches as those which minimize the awe and holiness of God in favor of a “good-buddy” Jesus who is more friend than Lord and Savior. The music in these churches seems more “me” focused than God focused. Sermons and worship services seem shallow and close to a waste of time to Christians who long to mature in their faith.
Concerned Child, I hope I have accurately summarized to some degree what you had in mind by the term “feel good” churches.
Churches come in a variety of forms with varying values, styles, emphases and expressions of their faith. Hopefully, values remain intact while expressions of the Faith change from decade to decade and from generation to generation. I occasionally hear Christians say, “I just want a return to the first century church.”
I respond, “Which first-century church would you like to attend? Jesus wrote to seven of them in Revelation 2-3. Would you want to attend the church at Ephesus with great Bible teaching but no love? Or, perhaps you might select the persecuted church at Smyrna? Or, perhaps you might like to attend the church at Thyatira which was full both of love and of tolerance for sin? The church at Sardis is not too attractive, don’t you think; it had great form but no power? Who would want to associate with the church at Laodicea which is the church that isn’t a church?
Frankly, of the churches that received letters of evaluation from Jesus, my preference would be to attend the church at Philadelphia—the evangelism church. The members of this church were so engrossed in reaching the “Lost” for Christ that they had no time to fall into sin. Philadelphia is the only one of the seven churches which received nothing but praise from Jesus. Philadelphia is what we might call a “Kingdom Church.” A Kingdom Church confronts culture with the gospel. A Kingdom Church is sometimes mistaken for a “feel good” church.
By the way, since we will use the term “Lost” numerous times throughout my answer, we must recognize that this is Jesus’ term for people who are wandering unforgiven outside the Shepherd’s fold. Jesus told three parables in Luke 15 describing His desperate searching for lost souls. The parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son demonstrate the joy in Heaven for each one of the Lost who are found and now safely in the arms of the Good Shepherd.
As culture changes some churches modify their forms, practices, and expressions of Christianity in order to remain relevant to the changing society around them. These churches constantly rearrange their strategic and tactical plans both for how they will approach and reach the Lost, and with regards to how they are going to “do” church. Churches that adapt instigate a new generation of ministry. The other churches die out.
Early in my ministry I observed that most evangelical churches could be separated into five major categories: (1) Bible Teaching; (2) Evangelistic; (3) Charismatic; (4) Prayer; and (5) Cross-Cultural Missions. Many churches combined various aspects from several categories so that church expressions were multiplied, varied and individualistic. The church I pastored when I first entered ministry, Casas Church in Tucson, was a mixture of two categories: Bible teaching and evangelism. As the years passed Casas evolved more into a Bible Teaching church that was focused not nearly enough on evangelism. Over the last two generations Casas has morphed more into what I call a Kingdom Church.
While trying to be sensitive to over generalization, I tend to categorize today’s churches into four major categories: (1) Fortress (2) Prophetical; (3) Kingdom; and (4) Compromising. A church tends to be in one category or another. These categories are based on how a church deals with society.
The Fortress Church deals with society by withdrawing from it. The Prophetical Church (modeled after the Old Testament prophets) deals with society by pronouncing judgment upon it. The Kingdom Church deals with society by engaging with it. The Compromising Church deals with society by becoming it.
A Fortress Church deals with society by withdrawing from it. The Fortress Church focuses primarily on keeping Christians safe, secure, and separated from the evil and seductive influences of the “non Christian world.” In practical reality they are so focused on protecting themselves from cultural contamination that they seldom venture out to engage the Lost or open their doors and invite them to enter.
A Prophetical Church is modeled after the Old Testament prophets who pronounced judgment on a wicked and perverse people. (This term does not refer to churches that place great emphasis on end times prophecy teachings nor on the spiritual gift of prophecy.) This type of church focuses primarily on declaring judgment and destruction on the ungodly behaviors and sinful people who fail to live up to Biblical standards. One clearly-stated purpose of a Prophetical Church is to restore Christian principles to a godless nation.
The Prophetical Church is a triple-edged sword. On one hand, our present culture needs to hear about sin, judgment, repentance and Biblical teachings. On the other hand, it is not possible for those without Christ to make godly changes or to live by Biblical principles when they have not the spiritual power of the indwelling Christ. On the third hand, I grieve that judgmental cries of condemnation have failed, not only to change society, but they have decidedly damaged evangelistic efforts to reach the Lost.
How so? Christians were known in the first-century-Roman Empire as the people who loved God and each other. Today, surveys reveal that 78% of Americans identify the evangelical Christian church as the most judgmental segment of our society. I wonder what happened to the days when Christians were known as the people who loved God and each other? The Prophetical Church misunderstands how Jesus approached different groups. He had strong words of judgment and denunciation for the religious leaders who defined spirituality and the pathway to God as obeying and practicing outwardly focused rules and regulations.
He demonstrated warm-hearted love and acceptance for Lost Sheep. While describing the abundant life He had to offer, He was not easy on their sin. As the word got out, thousands flocked to experience the reality of His life and love. Obviously, love is a better tool than judgment for attracting and leading the Lost into the kingdom.
A Kingdom Church deals with society by engaging with a lost culture for the purpose of leading people to Christ. The Kingdom Church focuses on using whatever tools are necessary to bring the Lost into the Kingdom (Matthew 6:10 and Luke 19:10). A Kingdom Church attempts to emulate the lifestyle of Jesus who was known as the One who spent most of His time with prostitutes and tax-collecting cheaters (Matthew 11:19; Mark 2:15-16).
I define a Kingdom Church as one which moves out into society to seek the Lost wherever they are—even at the risk of “cultural condemnation.” A Kingdom Church functions as a spiritual hospital for sin-sick souls.
In my opinion the Kingdom Church walks a thin line between staying true to the Gospel without compromising the necessities of facing the damning power of sin with repentance and for receiving Christ as Savior and Lord. The temptation is to become Pergamum (Revelation 2:14-16) or Thyatira (Revelation 2:19-23). The church at Pergamum compromised with the world while the church at Thyatira tolerated sin.
The Kingdom Church reminds me most of the Philadelphian Church that advanced through open doors into a totally pagan culture in order to share the gospel with the Lost. Despite the obvious temptations, this churched walked the thin line and remained properly focused and balanced as they resisted compromise and contamination and received special commendation from Jesus.
Now, Concerned Christian, my observation is that many Christians view the Kingdom Church as compromising and “shallow”—and some churches certainly are compromising and shallow! On the other hand, what may seem like shallow, “feel good” sermons may well be directed more at reaching the Lost on Sunday morning than at providing “deeper” Bible teachings for hungry Christians. This is all right with me as long as the church provides for “deeper” Bible studies in other settings. Seldom using the term “sin” on Sunday morning may seem compromising; on the other hand, not utilizing the term may be tactically designed to keep from alienating the Lost during their initial exposures to church. Nevertheless, a Kingdom Church will assure that the Lost will confront their sin, and their need for repentance and forgiveness at the proper time in their spiritual journeys.
Let me share a short Biblical checklist of values which may help in evaluating the spiritual soundness of the Kingdom Church.
First, a Kingdom Church presents the Gospel to today’s culture in a meaningful and relevant way. This presentation is effected by the evangelistic heart of its members as they interact with people in society—especially with their friends. The Kingdom Church may use the Sunday Morning Worship Service as their primary tool for making the gospel simple, inviting, and easy to understand. The driving value here is 1 Corinthians 9:22-23: “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
Second, care must be taken to preach from the Bible the “whole doctrine of truth”. The Bible must be treated with holy integrity and its Words not compromised in any way. Very few come to church desiring to hear politics and/or pop-psychology. Every one comes eager to know, “Does God have a word for me, today?”
Third, a Kingdom Church does not shy away from the sin issue. Sin may not make a good Sunday morning topic for the Lost; but, the problem of sin and the need for a Savior must be dealt with at the proper time and place. The operative verses here are Romans 3:23: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”, and Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Fourth, a Kingdom Church is careful to provide small groups for Bible study, prayer, fellowship, mentoring and discipleship. Acts 2:42 outlines the process: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” If Bible exposition is not the focus of the traditional Sunday morning service, then Bible teaching for maturing Christians must occur in carefully planned settings. This is often accomplished in small groups led by spiritual Christians and good Bible teachers. By the way, sermons alone can never fully disciple anyone. Discipleship only occurs in close knit fellowship with other Christians. Paul outlined the process in 2 Timothy 2:22: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Finally, a Kingdom Church provides opportunities for true worship. Sunday morning is not the only time for engaging in heart-felt worship. The morning-service music should not be the only place believers are led into the throne room of Christ. Other opportunities must be carefully planned and provided. The guideline here is from Ephesians 5:19-20: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In my mind, churches face many challenges in transitioning into Kingdom Churches. One of the biggest challenges is providing fulfilling and meaningful worship and Bible sermons for Christians who are conditioned for having those needs met in a Sunday morning worship setting.
Another challenge is to provide enough healthy small groups to accommodate the Christians already in the church and all the new people coming into the fold.
Another challenge is to keep the gospel pure and unadulterated without sacrificing it on the altar of tolerance and compromise.
Another challenge is to present a proper view of God. While His is intimately and caringly involved in our lives (Psalms 103 and 131), He is also a God who judges sin. While He gives His children total love and acceptance, He is at times deeply disappointed in them.
Another challenge is to ensure that Jesus is uplifted in public to His proper place as Savior of the world (John 3:14-16 and 11:32). Jesus is worthy to be worshiped publicly and openly (Revelation 4:11; 5:9-15) in order that all may see our total and complete surrender to Him as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
Well, Concerned Child, I hope some of my thoughts will help as you personally evaluate the changes of church models in our generation. Thank you for the thoughtful and relevant question.
Love, Roger
Here are the truths that shaped my life and ministry: https://piti.wpengine.com/ask-roger/detail/what-i-believe-and-why/
Strength and courage come from the choices we make more than the feelings we have. Joshua received God’s blessing because He obeyed in he face of insurmountable odds.
If you trust you “sin struggle” is always going to win, Romans 6 has some great news for you! In this text, Paul reveals a great truth that points to victory and life.
Preached at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship. Used by permission.
Featured at Telling the Truth with Stuart, Jill and Pete Briscoe. Used by permission.
A life script is an ongoing program for our lives that we act out automatically. The script can be constructive, destructive, non-productive or a combination of all three. Family, culture and individual perceptions influence these scripts. When we receive Christ, Jesus can rewrite our life scripts so that negative scripts do not define our lives.
Sunday Morning, August 3, 2008
Roger Barrier, Senior Pastor, and Chet Weld, Director of Pastoral Counseling
God is greater than MY life SCRIPTS
Selected Psalms
S-1762
As we read the Bible we encounter the Life Scripts of many people. If we read with insight, we will get rich, deep understandings both into their lives and into the lessons God wants to teach us through them.
A Life Script is an ongoing program for our lives that we act out automatically. Life scripts can be constructive, destructive, nonproductive or combinations of all three.
In Psalms we see life scripts unveiled by what the writers wrote. In the same way we see the life scripts of people (and ourselves) by what they think, say and do.
This morning we will examine several of David’s life scripts and then make observations to enhance our daily living.
Several of David’s major life scripts are laid out clearly in his psalms.
Rejection was one of David’s most basic life scripts (Psalm 69:8-12).
Self Loathing and self condemnation haunted him and guided his actions for most of his adult life (Psalm 22:6-7 and 51:5).
Not all of his life themes were negative. He found great acceptance, help and friendship with God. This produced a stream of positive self images that helped him through some of the most difficult times of his life (Psalm 34:4; 118:13 and 139:1-3).
CULTURAL LIFE SCRIPTS
These are scripts we adopt because of the nature of the culture in which we live.
FAMILY LIFE SCRIPTS
These are scripts we get from our families or others close to us.
individual LIFE scripts
These are scripts we tell ourselves about ourselves. They powerfully affect our thinking and behaviors.
OBSERVATIONS
1. We Are Not Doomed To Live Forever With Our Negative Life Scripts.
2. Spiritual Regeneration. Jesus Is In The Business Of Picking Up The Pieces And Helping Us Start Over.
Philippians 4:13
2 Corinthians 5:17
Revelation 2:17 and 3:12-13
3. We Are Wise If We Uncover The Reasons And Sources For Our Life Scripts So That We May Decide—Or Redecide—Which Ones We Want To Keep, Alter Or Discard.
4. No One Life Script Defines Our Lives.
Psalm One is a powerfully positive life script to emulate.
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view (not even ourselves!). Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:16-17).
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:22).
Satan’s objective is to block us from closing the gap to the abundant life God intends for us to enjoy. Satan steals us from intimacy with God by keeping us locked in the past of our hurt, anger, bitterness and guilt or bound in the future of our worry, fear and anxiety. In God’s five-part plan we can resist Satan proactively and wear God’s armor of protection.